


The Case of the Missing Kids

by ivanna



Series: Vin Tanner Mysteries [1]
Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Magnificent Seven AU: ATF, Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-08
Updated: 2015-01-08
Packaged: 2018-03-06 16:17:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3140756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivanna/pseuds/ivanna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After their resignation from the ATF the boys are running 'The Magnificent Seven Detective Agency.' Vin is sharing his time with studying literature in the University of Colorado, and when two kids went missing at campus, Vin is called to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Case of the Missing Kids

**Author's Note:**

> The previous story is “Blood Bond”  
> Many thanks to Tarlan for beta reading.

Vin's cell vibrated when he was on his way to his car at the parking lot of the campus. He fished the cell out of the pocket of his jeans and glanced at the caller's ID, half expecting to see Chris' name on the screen, but there an unfamiliar number was flashing. Vin accepted the call. 

"Tanner," he said curtly.

The woman's voice answered him, "Mr. Tanner, it’s Sandy, President Mortimer’s assistant. She would like to speak to you personally. Can you come to her office?"

"Uh…" for a moment Vin was speechless in surprise. Olivia Mortimer was the President of the University of Colorado. "Yes, of course."

"Thank you, Mr. Tanner."

Fifteen minutes later Vin entered the President's office in the main administrative building. Olivia Mortimer, a tall gray-haired woman in her fifties, rose to meet him and held out her hand. 

"Mr. Tanner, thank you for coming," she said in a perfect New English accent. 

Vin shook her hand. She looked cold, confident and stately, but Vin sensed her unease. She was nervous but was doing her best to hide it.

"What can I do for you?" Vin asked, getting straight to business.

"Please, sit down," Olivia indicated towards the chair near her desk. When they were settled, she started, "Mr. Tanner, I was told you are involved in the P. I. business and have a long history of working in law enforcement."

Vin nodded.

"I want to ask you a favor. I – the university – need help from someone with your experience."

"What's wrong?"

"There were two events at the campus which could spread panic among students and jeopardize the educational process if they became widely known. Two students went missing during the last three weeks. We reported it to the Police, but I didn't get an impression they were concerned enough. Granted, it's not uncommon when young men disappear for a few days without informing their parents – especially informing their parents - but I have to say I'm concerned. I can't afford rumors spreading so I need to know exactly what happened to those students. It's a matter of the university's reputation."

"So you're asking me to find them?"

"It would be nice if you could ask a few questions and do some research. Of course, the university will pay all your expenses."

Vin's mouth twisted at the thought that she was more concerned about reputation of the university than about the lives of the kids. Of course, kids had many reasons to run away, so there was no need to suspect foul play from the start. He felt obliged to point that out, "You do realize that asking questions can raise those rumors you want to avoid?" 

"I do, yes, but I'll take that chance. The alternative is much worse: Mr. Lloyd, the mother of one of the missing students, has convinced herself that the university and the Police are doing nothing to find her son and is threatening to go to the press. Needless to say publicity of that kind will be a disaster." 

"Okay. I'll see what I can do. Give me everything you have on these kids."

Olivia relaxed visibly. "Thank you, Mr. Tanner." 

Vin left the President's office half an hour later holding copies of the personal files of the missing kids in his hand. When he walked to his car across a green lawn, he thought over the facts provided by Olivia. The first kid, Teddy Barker, went missing on a Wednesday night three weeks earlier. He left the library but never made to his dorm. The only kid of rich parents, he was pre-law with a promise of big future in his father's company. He was shy, diligent and closed-off. The second kid, Jerry Lloyd, was his complete opposite: an orphan with a bad record but he was a talented artist studying art history. He wasn't seen after his classes on Thursday. According to one of his many pals, he had a date outside the campus that night. So far Vin couldn't find anything in common between the kids except for the fact that both of them lived on the same campus. 

Vin got into his jeep, and when his cell vibrated again he glanced at the screen. Chris. Vin smiled accepting the call. "Hey."

"Hey. How was your meeting with the faculty advisor?"

"Fine. He was pleased with my progress. My tests are good, too."

"That's great."

"Yeah."

Chris sensed something in his tone and alerted. "Something wrong?"

"No. At least, not with me."

"Tell me."

"Two kids went missing here. The President has asked me to take a look at things." 

"Isn't that for DPD?"

"Apparently the cops believe the kids ran away."

"What makes you to think they didn't?"

"I don't know. Some gut feeling."

Chris didn’t try to argue it. He always respected instincts, his own and Vin's. “What are you gonna do?”

“For start I'm going to call Buck and ask him to get hold of the Police records.”

“Good luck with that. Buck left the office before lunch and I have no idea where he is now.”

“I’ll get him wherever he is. I want to hang here at the campus a bit, to meet a couple of people. Do you need me at office?”

“No, things are quiet today, take your time.”

“Fine. See you at home.”

“Watch your back.”

Vin smiled disconnecting. He sat still for moment thinking about Chris, home and the evening together, then he dialed Buck’s cell number. To his surprise Buck answered his call.

“Junior, don’t tell me you’re calling looking for advice on how to warm the icy heart of some old maiden Professor.”

Vin chuckled. “Nah, I prefer to shoot my Professors.”

“That’s what committing with Larabee does to a young guy,” Buck murmured.

In the background Vin heard the rustle of linen and creaking of bed springs. “How is Louisa doing?” he asked. “Give her my best.” 

Buck said something off the receiver, his words were followed by woman’s slightly embarrassed laugh. “She says hi to you,” Buck said back to Vin.

“I hope your engagement doesn’t mean you lost your contacts with DPD?”

“Depends on what kind of contacts you have in mind.”

“I need a data on two missing persons.”

“We have a new case?”

“Not exactly. It’s kind of personal favor.” Vin briefly explained the case.

Buck thought it over. “I’ll call a couple of old friends and see what I can get,” he promised.

“Thank you, Buck.”

“You have to return the favor.”

Vin tensed. “What do you want?”

“Just a very little favor. One dance with Milly at the wedding party.”

“No way.”

“Vin, she is a sweet little thing…”

“No way will I be dancing with Louisa's cousin or whoever the hell she is.”

“Chris will not be jealous, I promise.”

“It’s not about Chris, it’s just I can’t dance in front of all those people. I can’t dance at all!”

“Bullshit, I saw you dancing at the Saloon. You move so gracefully, dancing is natural for you.”

“Buck, a drunken party is one thing but your wedding is a completely different thing.”

“I don’t take no for an answer. Anyway, you owe me one.”

Buck ended the call. Vin tossed the cell on the passenger seat and nervously ran his fingers through his longish hair. “Aw hell.”

After a few moments of distress Vin decided that since the damn wedding was a month away there was no need to panic right now and the best way to forget about it was concentrate on the business in hand. He got out of the car and walked across a lawn toward the building where the office of Jerry Lloyd’s faculty advisor was located. Vin was lucky as it was Professor Cochran’s office hours and the Professor was sitting at his desk reading some papers. Vin tapped on the open door and waited till Cochran looked up at him. 

“Professor Cochran? May I have a word with you?”

“Sure.” He put the papers aside and gestured towards a chair before his desk.

Vin entered and sat down, at the same time discreetly but closely looking over the office and its owner. The office was filled with pieces of art, at least Vin thought they supposed to be art though some paintings and statues looked more like a psychopath's works in his opinion. Cochran was a big man in his fifties with long gray hair gathered in a ponytail and a golden earring in his right ear. 

“You are not my student,” Cochran observed.

“No. I’m studying literature.”

Cochran made a face. “It’s prestigious but completely useless. You can’t make a living with writing.” 

“I do other things for a living. That’s why I’m here.”

“Yeah?” Cochran gave him a funny look. 

Vin tried hard to suppress the shiver of disgust. Looked like Cochran had one twisted thought in mind though Vin had no idea what in his appearance made the Professor think he was as a male whore or something like that. Vin pulled out and handed Cochran his business card that read 'The Magnificent Seven. Detective Agency.' Cochran raised his eyebrows.

“I'm investigating the disappearance of Jerry Lloyd.”

“Disappearance? As far as I know the kid just took some time off.”

“He said that to you?”

“No, but I saw the signs. The kid was under a lot of stress: problems with his adoptive parents, problems with his friends, problems with his tests… He couldn’t deal with it when all he wanted to think about was his art.”

“So you think he's hiding somewhere for the sake of his art?”

“Yes. And believe me, his art is worth it. He is one of my most gifted, most promising students. Here is one of his works, take a look.”

Cochran pointed on one of the statues beside his desk. Vin stared at it, trying hard to determine what the statue was supposed to mean. Swirls of barbed wire remotely resembled two male figures which were what, fighting? fucking? Vin wasn’t sure he really wanted to know. “It’s sick,” he couldn’t help but say.

Cochran shook his head sadly. “You know nothing about modern art.”

“Perhaps. But this thing is soaked with anger and rage.”

“Well, believe me, Jerry is a very gentle person.”

“I heard he has a troubled background.”

“Jerry was more sinned against than sinning.”

“You’re pretty sure of that.”

“I am. Talent of that magnitude brings envy.”

“Do you have any idea where Jerry would go if he did want to get away for a while?”

“No.”

Vin wasn’t sure that was the truth but he had no reason to push. He rose. “Thank you for your time. If you get a word from Jerry or remember something useful, please, give me a call.”

“Sure.”

Vin left the office feeling Cochran’s gaze at his back. 

7777777

When Chris got home Vin was sitting on the couch in the den staring at the flickers of fire in the fireplace, an unopened bottle of beer in his hand. Chris walked over to him to kiss him hello. Vin’s lips were warm, their taste familiar. Chris dipped his fingers into Vin’s hair pulling him closer, deepening the kiss, and Vin answered him eagerly, opening his mouth wider and encircling Chris' waist with his arms. When their lips finally parted, Chris whispered, “Missed you.”

“Missed you too.”

They kissed again, this time more hungrily, demanding. Chris’ hands slipped beneath Vin’s t-shirt, stroking his chest, and Vin pulled Chris down on the couch. Hastily they threw off their clothes, Vin pushed Chris down and covered his body with his own, pressing their erections together. They started to move in a so familiar rhythm, mouths clasped together again, drinking each others moans of pleasure. The trill of a cell startled them both. Chris tore away his lips and gasped, “Yours.”

Vin swore. Leaning over the edge of the couch, he found his jeans on the floor and pulled out the cell. The number flashing on the screen was unfamiliar. “Tanner,” he barked accepting the call.

“Vin, it’s Professor Cochran.”

“Yeah,” Vin wondered briefly about Cochran using his first name. 

“I was thinking about you and decided to invite you to dinner. Tonight.”

“Do you have something to tell me?”

“About Jerry? No. But I think we can share something about us.”

Realization hit Vin. “Are you talking about a date?”

Chris beneath him tensed and gave him the infamous Larabee glare. 

“Yes. You're a guy I want to know better. Closer.”

“Uh, thanks, but I’m not interested.”

“You've not even thought it over.”

“The answer is no.”

Vin pressed the button hard ending the call. “What the hell,” he murmured. 

“Yeah, I wanna know what the hell that was about,” Chris said with deadly softness in his voice. 

“The guy is the faculty advisor for one of the missing kids. I talked to him today, and I sure as hell don’t know why he's decided I’m in the market for a date,” Vin looked down at him genuinely confused. 

Chris sighed. “I can understand that guy. I wanted you at first sight.”

Vin smiled warmly. “You got me.”

“Come here. We have things to catch up.”

Chris tugged Vin over him once again, and Vin was happy to obey. 

After sex, dinner, and completing household chores Vin climbed into bed with a laptop. Chris took his side of the bed with a book in his hand, but he couldn’t concentrate on reading, distracted by Vin’s unusual activity on the Web. Now and again he cast a look at Vin’s frowning face and his slim fingers fluttering on the keyboard. 

“What are you doing?” he asked at last.

“Googling those missing kids.”

“Any results?”

“There are a lot of Teddy Barkers and Jerry Lloyds on social networks, I’m trying to find the right ones.”

“Why don’t you ask J.D. to do it? It’s his job and hobby.” 

“J.D. is slightly preoccupied with other things.”

Chris put a book aside. “What do you mean?”

Vin glanced at him. “The thing with Casey.”

“What thing? They're going to marry finally?”

“No. Rather opposite.”

“What?!”

“J.D. has decided he wants to meet more womenfolk before settling down.”

“Bullshit. He's known Casey for years; she's his first and only.”

“That’s the point.”

“Damn. Is he cheating on Casey?”

“I don’t know. I heard from Inez that he met a lady bounty hunter at the Saloon and she had blown his brains out. Figuratively.”

“When Buck was looking?”

“Aw hell, Chris, with that wedding of Buck's no wonder the kid's decided to postpone his own.”

Chris chucked. “Hey, it’s not *that* bad.”

“Uh-huh.”

7777777

The next morning at ‘The Magnificent Seven’ office Buck handed Vin a copy of the Police files on the Barker and Lloyd cases and asked with a sly wink not to inquire how he managed to get hold of them. Not that Vin was *that* curious. He settled in Chris’ office, which provided some quiet and privacy as he read the papers over. There was nothing really noteworthy. The only thing that caught his attention was confirmation of his impression yesterday: the kids seemed to have nothing in common. Either their disappearance in a row was a coincidence – and Vin didn’t believe much in coincidences - or the kids did have something in common, and that something was the clue to their disappearance. 

Having decided that sitting at the office wouldn’t solve the case and he should move the op into the field, Vin headed to the campus. There he talked to Terry Barker’s faculty advisor, examined the kid’s dorm’s rooms using the name of President Mortimer to get access to them, and met with some friends of the missing kids. More precisely, *friends* was a very relative term: Jerry had an active social life but no one – male or female – was really close to him. Teddy didn’t communicate with fellow students at all and Vin couldn’t determine if it was shyness or his social status. Finally Vin found Teddy’s roommate, a kid named Kyle Morris, and they settled on a bench in a small woods between buildings for a talk. 

“How well do you know Teddy?” Vin asked.

Kyle shrugged. “We've shared the same room for two years but never had more than small talks. He spends his days in lectures or seminars, and nights at the library. I thought he should live at home with his parents and his social circle, but seems like he wasn’t happy there either.”

“He was depressed?”

“Nah. Just self-absorbed.”

The kid’s face was covered with multiple piercing and a shiner under his right eye. Vin asked, pointing at the bruise, “What happened?”

Kyle winced. “You don’t understand.”

“Try me.” 

“A boyfriend problem.”

“Oh. You’re wrong, I can understand that.”

“Really?” Kyle looked at him with intense interest. “Do you have a boyfriend too?”

“Yeah. And believe me, there are times when we’re ready to shoot each other.”

Kyle’s jaw dropped. 

The thought occupied Vin. “Teddy didn’t have a girlfriend. Was he interested in the same sex?”

“He never made a pass at me, but I really don’t know…” Kyle pondered the idea. “Thinking about it, there were little signs. Nothing like a porn collection or hot posters, but now I remember it, I caught him running through *my* collection. He told me he was looking for his disk with some stupid movie.” 

Vin knew he'd hit the mark. That was the clue he was looking for. He remembered Jerry’s sculpture of naked male figures at Cochran’s office. No doubt Jerry was gay even if he didn’t date anyone. “Was there anyone in Teddy’s life to whom he paid special attention? Attention of *that* kind?”

“No, but he was exited in the last days before disappearing. Excited for Teddy, of course.” Kyle glanced at the watch on Vin’s wrist and swore. “Damn. I have to go, my class is in a minute.”

“Sure. Thank you, you really help me.”

The kid nodded and ran toward the faculty building. Vin pulled out his cell and dialed Chris. 

“Both kids are gay, that’s the connection between them,” he said after updating Chris. 

“The Barker kid was unhappy with his life. He could have met some guy and run away with him.”

“Leaving all his belongings and a car?”

“He could have been thinking about starting a new life with a clean slate.”

“He was a kid, not a criminal.”

“Was?”

“Yes. I can’t get rid of feeling that he isn’t alive.”

7777777

Vin’s instincts were confirmed a few hours later. He was in Denver driving to the office when he got a call from Buck.

“I have bad news.” Vin knew what that was before Buck finished. “They found the body of one of those missing kids.”

“Which one of them?”

“Teddy Barker.”

“Where?”

“The pond at campus.”

“How'd he die?”

“Shot in the forehead. DPD's thinking suicide.”

Vin heard uncertainty in Buck’s voice. “What else?”

“Too early to say for sure but looks like the body was in the pond for a week. No way was it three weeks.”

“I have to get to the crime scene. Can you arrange that?”

“The officer in charge is my old friend. I’ll ask him to let you in.”

“I’m on my way.”

Vin turned the jeep and headed back to the campus. 

The campus was busy with unusual activity. The Police and coroner’s cars, uniformed and plain closed officers filled the site. The body of Teddy Barker was discovered by two students who were now receiving medical care for shock. No murder weapon had been found yet nor any explanation of where Teddy had spent the last weeks of his life or why he died in this pond. Nothing at the site could answer those questions. Pondering it, Vin headed back to his car.

He stopped dead on his tracks when he spotted Professor Cochran leaning against his jeep. 

“Vin,” Cochran beamed upon seeing him.

“Professor.”

“Such a tragedy,” Cochran nodded toward the activity near the pond, but despite the words his voice was rather cheerful.

“Did you know him?”

“No, he wasn’t my student. I have to say, I’m here not because of him but you.”

“I’m flattered.” 

Vin’s voice was dry, but Cochran apparently didn’t notice it. “Did you change your mind about dinner?”

“No.”

“Too bad. You are so beautiful. Your body is perfect. All those bulky clothes can’t hide it. I want to carve you in stone. Marble. You know, marble is the only stone with the fine-grained lustrous and translucence reminiscent of human skin. Your skin is destined for marble, so smooth, no scar mars its perfection…”

“I have scars.” Vin didn’t knew why he said it, perhaps he was going to say anything just to get Cochran to shut up. Sure as hell Professor Cochran was crazy as a loon. 

Cochran winced. “Oh. You were so irresponsible letting that happen.”

Vin climbed into the jeep and started the engine. “I’m happy to be alive even with a scarred hide.”

Cochran was forced to move away from the jeep to avoid ending up under its wheels. 

7777777

“I don’t believe it’s suicide,” Vin said sitting in Chris’ office. 

“It could be. If his family had pushed him away because of him being gay and he realized his sexuality wasn’t just a phase but his true nature he could have finished himself off.”

Vin restrained from saying aloud that in that case the kid’s father was a potential suspect. A father-son relationship wasn’t a topic he was willing to discuss with Chris. Also he didn't want to remind Chris that people tended to shoot themselves in the mouth or temple but not in the forehead. Vin still remembered Chris' previous habit of keeping a loaded gun under his pillow ready to finish himself off one of those long sleepless nights after losing his family. He changed the subject. 

“He spent two weeks with someone. Date of his death and the time of disappearance of Jerry match. The same man had them.”

“You don’t think Jerry killed him and ran away?”

“No. Despite his bad record and psycho sculpture the kid is a victim, not a murderer.” 

Vin leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes. The events of the day suddenly fell heavily upon him. He felt beaten. 

Chris’ warm hand squeezed his forearm. “You can’t save them all,” Chris said softly. 

Vin nodded and made an effort to pull himself together. He stood up abruptly and headed to the main office throwing over his shoulder, “I want coffee. Bring it to you too?”

“Yeah.”

When Vin was passing Ezra’s desk on his way to the coffee maker, his gaze fell on the screen of Ezra’s laptop. It showed a photo of a marble male nude. Vin stopped dead.

“What is that?” he asked Ezra.

“The new masterpiece of Andy Cochran, a famous sculptor. His solo exhibition opens next week, and my dear mother is dragging me to the event as both cover and moral support in her hunt for the rich fool.”

“Can you enlarge this pic?”

“Sure.”

Vin leaned over the laptop peering into the screen. The youthful male figure was headless but otherwise anatomically correct. More than correct - there was lavish appreciation of details, right down to the appendix scar. Hair stood up on Vin’s nape. He remembered the last conversation with Cochran and something he had read in the Barker case. He hurried to his desk and flipped through the papers. There it was. Teddy Barker underwent an operation for appendicitis.

“It’s Cochran,” Vin gasped. 

Under the questioning glances of the boys Vin formed his thought into words. 

“You can’t prove it,” Chris pointed out. “Plenty of people have scars like this.”

“I know. But I’m right. We have to find evidence.”

“We can pay him a home visit during the exhibition,” Ezra suggested. 

“We don’t have much time. He can finish the statue of Jerry any moment and after that he kills the kid. If Jerry isn’t dead already.”

The idea crossed Vin’s mind. Apparently Chris thought the same too, because he said firmly, “No way.”

“Why not? I have a perfect opportunity to visit his home by accepting his dinner offer.”

“He's a homicidal maniac, is why not.”

“I can take care of myself. You’ll provide the backup.” 

Chris hesitated but he knew Vin was right. “Fine. But J.D. will wire you, and me and the boys will be just outside the house.”

“Okay.”

Vin took his cell and dialed Cochran’s number. Cochran picked up after the first ring. 

“It’s Vin Tanner.”

“Vin, I’m so glad to hear your voice.”

“I changed my mind. I want to have dinner with you. At your home.”

Ezra rolled his eyes and murmured, “Only a psychopath could be charmed by Mr. Tanner’s seduction skills.”

Cochran said into Vin's ear, “I knew you couldn’t resist, but you are so stubborn. Don’t worry, I love you even more for it. Are you ready for tonight?”

“Yeah. When and where?”

“At seven, I’ll text you my address.”

“Fine.”

7777777

Cochran’s townhouse looked respectable and well decorated. Vin was relieved to see that the living room where he was sitting on the leather sofa contained no statue or other piece of art by Cochran. He didn’t need another reminder that he shared the room with a homicidal maniac. The weight of the SIG tucked in the back of his jeans was pleasantly comforting. Vin wasn’t about to dress up for this evening, so he wore faded jeans, white t-shirt and suede jacket which covered the gun and wire. 

Cochran handed him a glass of red wine and sat on the other end of the sofa staring at Vin. From the moment Vin crossed the threshold of his house he couldn’t tear his eyes off Vin. “You are perfect,” he said once again.

Vin winced. That *perfect* refrain got on his nerves. 

“I cherish youth, a young body is so beautiful, so innocent, even vulnerable. But you are unique, in your body youth and strength are merged together. A stunning combination. I can’t wait to put it in marble.”

Uh-huh, Vin thought. He caught himself looking around for a flower pot where he could empty his glass like a character from some stupid movie. He put his glass down on the coffee table. 

“Are you not drinking?” Cochran asked solicitously.

“No. Wine gives me a headache.” In this case that definitely would be true. 

“So what if we move things along?” Cochran asked putting down his own glass and moving closer to Vin. 

He leaned over to kiss Vin, and with the corner of his eye Vin caught the gleam of the syringe in Cochran’s right hand. Vin pushed him hard in his chest, but Cochran was much bigger than Vin and instead of falling down he only pulled away, dropping the syringe in surprise. The next moment he grabbed Vin and threw him on the floor. Vin landed hard on his back, air squeezed out of his lungs, right shoulder pierced by pain. Cochran moved to finish him, but during his fall Vin picked up his feet and now straightened them sending Cochran flying across the room. Quickly if not very gracefully Vin rose to his feet and trained his SIG on the fallen form of Cochran.

“Don’t move, asshole,” he rasped. 

If Cochran had anything to say he was interrupted by sound of breaking glass. The French door shattered into pieces and Chris with Buck in tow burst into the room, their guns at the ready. They were followed by the rest of the boys. Vin’s and Chris’ eyes met for a moment, then Vin ran from the room leaving the boys to take care about the mess. He found the door to the basement and tried the handle. Unsurprisingly, the door was locked, and Vin used the SIG to deal with it. Once inside the basement he pushed open every door, firing at the locked ones. The rooms were filled with marble statues, some finished, others unfinished,and other junk. Finally he found what he looking for. In one of the rooms a young man was chained to the bed, exhausted but alive. Vin leaned against a door frame, all at once his strength left him along with adrenaline. 

“You’re safe, kid,” was all he managed to say. 

7777777

The long day was over. Professor Cochran was in jail, Jerry Lloyd was in hospital. ‘The Magnificent Seven’ had a long and hard talk with the DPD for unauthorized activity and breaking & entering, but Vin didn’t worry much about the possible consequences. In the end, they wrote their statements and were sent home. Nathan did his best to take Vin to hospital, but Vin was adamant. He longed at home, sheltered from the outside world.

He was lying on his bed after a long soak in a hot bath, half sleeping in a cocoon of blankets. Chris entered the bedroom after setting the alarm system and checking the house, and started to get ready for bed.

“How’s your shoulder?” he asked softly.

“Sore.”

“There is a hell of a bruise.”

“Uhuh.”

Chris laid down and kissed the tip of Vin’s nose. Vin’s eyes were closed but he felt Chris’ gaze on him.

“What?”

“Just thinking. Cochran is crazy but he’s right. You are unique.”

“Shut up, Larabee, or I’ll shoot you.”

Chris chuckled and gathered Vin in his arms. 

END

p

p


End file.
